"Best" wipe on finish - thoughts?

[Watchie]

Okay, for those of us who aren't set up for a proper spray (including cans), what are the general thoughts about what is the "best" overall wipe on finish for the BODY?  Here are what I propose as the considerations:

1.  Self leveling

2.  Toughness once cured (i.e., resistance to scratching)

3.  Ability to super gloss or satin, depending on preference

4.  Ease of application

5.  Ease of repair (which, based on number 2, above, may be a lesser consideration)

6.  Minimal effect on the tone of the instrument.

I know everything in life is ultimately a compromise, but nonetheless I am interested in the various thoughts on this.  And for me, with aesthetics being of high importance, numbers 1,2,  and 3, above, get a bit higher weight.

Thoughts?

 

[Syntheticocean]

I'm interested in this too. My Body/Neck is in the mail and I should have it in a few days so I'll be finishing it and need more pointers.

 

[bagman67]

Well, I'm no pro, but I do believe you hit it on the head by saying that ease of repair and toughness once cured operate at cross-purposes to one another.  Catalyzed poly finishes are tough but fixing 'em is a bear.

And I'll be the first one of us (Cagey, whenever you're ready, wade into this) to say that on a solid-body guitar, unless you're finishing your axe by tacking strips of galvanized sheet metal to it, you're highly unlikely to affect tone in any way with an off-the-shelf finishing product.

 

[Cagey]

I'd look seriously at Behlen's Master Gel. I have one in process now that I'm going to use that on, wanting the same things you are and finding most reports saying you can have it, although "ease of repair" isn't going to be in the mix. Poly finishes are just a bitch to do anything with once they're on. But, blended polys will take a great deal of abuse so the need to repair is dramatically diminished.

As far as tone goes, don't worry about it. Finish only affects tone on acoustic instruments. Where anybody got the idea it makes a difference on solid body instruments is a mystery for the ages.

 

[Watchie]

VERY interested to hear how your Master Gel finish comes out.  Please keep us posted.

 

[Cagey]

Here's the thread where I started that project. But, I had to move not long after I started that, and now I don't have a shop, per se. On the plus side, I do have a big garage now, although it's been winter so that hasn't been a good place to work. But, the weather is finally starting to moderate so I'll get back into it soon.

 

[Watchie]

Nice thread.  Tomorrow is my "big" day for finishing my Jazzmaster hybrid (hipshot hardball, with  P90 neck and humbucker bridge pickups.  The body is swamp ash and has just shy of about 397 coats of Tru Oil on it (no stain, but filler with Timbermate).  After a lot of experimenting I came to conclude that wiping on thin at first, polishing back with 1500 wet with mineral spirits, and then heavier coats towards the end worked best for me.  Also, after trying cotton cloths, paper towels, etc, I found a coffee filter wrapped over a folded paper towel worked best in terms of minimizing wiping lines. 

Of course I let it cure 10 days before a final polish, but most of these days it spent sunbathing to enhance the cure.  After that it was the full Micro Mesh treatment, starting with a light 3600 and going up from there through 12000.  But here's the kicker - it also has about seven coats of Zaino Bros. show car polish on it, which gives it a really, really deep "wet" look.

The neck is Goncalo Alves with a Pau Ferro fret board, which looks terrific with the natural swamp ash.  For cosmetic reasons alone I went with Planet Waves tuners, which look really good both on the darker neck wood and as an accent to the black PUPs and trim rings.  Oh, and as I didn't have one and there was, as I pointed out to my wife, a gaping hole on my work bench, I bought a used drill press on Craigslist and used it to install inserts in the neck heel (Note - ALWAYS make sure you get them in straight; it's a real bitch if you don't, but still solvable with a re-drill and spot of epoxy).

Hopefully all will go well with the final hookup.  I will try to get some scans up later in the day or at the latest this weekend.

All credit for this build goes to the many, many helpful folks on this board, including in particular you, Cagey.  Lots of good past and recent posts guided my through the project.  And a fun project it has been.

Now to learn to play the damn thing...

 

[crash]

+1 for Zaino.  Best car polish available.  I used Zaino Z2 and Z5 on my black Ibanez occasionally.  Now, that guitar is sitting in my garage getting the paint stripped off so I can Tru-oil the Mahogany body. 

 

[Watchie]

I emailed Sal Zaino to see if his product would be compatible with Tru Oil and he was not sure.  I ended up making a test piece, and there were no issues.  I would be sure that the Tru Oil has cured, though.

BTW, Sal also told me he has a 35 guitar collection, mostly Gibson, so he appreciated my inquiry.

 

[Cagey]

That sounds like it's going to be beautiful. I'm assuming the original question about wipe-on finishes is for another body, not the Jazzmaster?

 

[Watchie]

Yup.  A rear routed Strat (S-S-S), Gotoh hardtail, GFS locking tuners.  Neck to come.

I plan on building it this summer, taking it back apart, then giving to my grandson in pieces this Xmas.  He's nine, and I bought him his first guitar last Xmas.  He's hooked, big time.

We'll put it back together, together.

 

[Cagey]

I'd like to do that for my guitar-playing niece, but it would just be too much. The other nieces would be understandably slighted.

 

[Watchie]

My grandson and I have had a great time visiting the Guitar Center (over two hours once), and he is really enjoying the instrument.  And wants LOTS of them.

I made him a Saga kit for his upcoming birthday (LP), but found those to be mostly crap, so I want to follow it with something a bit better.  It will also be fun watching him learn how they go together.

 

[Watchie]

Cagey:

Any update on your experience with the Behlen Master Gel?  I had my grandson's Strat near done but ended up with a sand-through during the polishing.  As a result I think I am done with Tru Oil.  Now looking for a good, tougher alternative.

Also, any thoughts regarding the Minwax wipe on poly?  Oil or water based?

Thanks in advance!

 

[Cagey]

Funny you should bring that up today. I decided yesterday to start applying it today. When I put it on the holding fixture arm thingy about a week ago, the filler still felt a bit waxy so I thought I'd give it a week or so out in the free air to see if it was going to harden up some more, but it doesn't seem like it's going to. So, I said to hell with it, I'm gonna give it a lick and a promise with the wet sanding and start with the gel. So, barring any unforseen circumstances, I should have some ugly pictures of it later this afternoon.

 

[Watchie]

Any update?

 

[Cagey]

No, I ended up with guests and other distractions, so it went begging. I did get my fretwork done last night, so there's progress.

Need to order some rubbing compound to polish it up, but otherwise it should be good to go.

 

[bagman67]

No, I ended up with guests and other distractions, so it went begging. I did get my fretwork done last night, so there's progress.

Need to order some rubbing compound to polish it up, but otherwise it should be good to go.

What do you charge for a fretjob, Cagey?

 

[Cagey]

You mean I can charge for that kind of work? I'm going to have to re-evaluate my policies and practices <grin>

I like to do the whole dance with a neck, rather than the à la carte services many techs provide. That is, I want to straighten, level, crown, dress, and polish the thing, and sometimes replace the nut while I'm at it. I prefer to have the whole guitar so I can set up the bridge as well, but it's not really necessary. Anyway, $100 + shipping usually covers all that unless there are replacement parts involved.